


The Past

by seznz



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-28
Updated: 2014-05-28
Packaged: 2018-01-26 21:39:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1703453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seznz/pseuds/seznz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A person from Sherlock's past appears, causing Sherlock think about a time that he had long forgotten</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Past

Sherlock was bored… again.

He was in the kitchen of his flat at 221B Baker Street experimenting on decomposing fingers.  He needed a case, badly.  But there had been nothing on the website, no new clients pending.  John was somewhere with Mary doing something that married couples do.  Sherlock snorted. Sounds tedious, he thought.

There was a sound from the bedroom.  He knew it wasn’t Mrs Hudson, she was away for the week somewhere down in Cornwall visiting someone or something.  He picked up the harpoon that had taken residence in the lounge and walked slowly down the hallway towards his bedroom.  He slowly opened the door and looked inside.  He couldn’t quite believe what he saw when he did.

“I had nowhere else to go” The person who uttered those words then slowly fell to the ground and passed out.

Sherlock sat in a chair next to the bed.  He had moved his visitor to the bed after a preliminary examination showed they had been shot – twice.  He knew he should ring for an ambulance but he also knew his visitor had come to him because they needed to stay away from any hospital.  But why now?  Why after all these years?

“Sherlock” he heard John call.  Of course he called John, who after all was an army doctor.  He had probably seen this kind of thing a lot in his time in the field.  Sherlock also knew that he would bring Mary, who no doubt had seen her fair share of gunshot wounds too, he thought wryly.

“In here” Sherlock announced.

John and Mary gave each other a look and walked into the bedroom.  Neither of them had expected what they actually saw.

“She’s been shot” Sherlock announced “Twice”

John took in the situation “Did you…?”

Sherlock looked away from the woman on his bed for the first time since walking into the bedroom “What? No!” he said indignantly. “She just… well… appeared” he said

Mary took one look “She needs a hospital” John nodded in agreement.

“That’s not going to happen” Sherlock said “She won’t allow it”

“She’s unconscious Sherlock” John muttered

Sherlock looked at the patient again “Is she?” he asked

John walked over to the woman “What’s her name?” he asked Sherlock

“Charley” Sherlock replied, almost sounding wistful.  It had been a long time since that name had crossed his lips.  Mary looked at Sherlock now, he looked like he was remembering a different time.

                _____________________________________________________________________

  _“Try and catch me Sherlock” the little girl laughed as she ran through the field of tall grass._

_A little boy with dark, curly hair laughed too as he ran after her “Charley? Where are you Charley?” he shouted as he ran, his beloved dog Red Beard running with him wagging his tail_

_“Over here!!” came the echoed reply_

_“Charley” the little boy was now laughing so hard he had to stop running.  He felt something on his face. He wiped it away.  It came again.  He heard giggling and turned around._

_The little girl with brunette pigtails was now giggling uncontrollably, she was holding a long piece of grass “Sherlocky you’re sooo funny” she said as she collapsed to the ground.  Sherlock followed her, laughing. They lay there for an age, their pinkie fingers locked together, surrounded by the tall willowy grass, looking up at the sky and watching the clouds roll past. Red Beard lay next to Sherlock his tongue hanging out of his mouth, panting after running around the field chasing the children_

_“Sherlock, Charley!  Dinner time” they heard Sherlock’s mother calling in the distanced.  They looked at each other and grinned.  They jumped to their feet and ran together hand in hand towards the house.  It was roast pork night._

                __________________________________________________________________

“Charley? Can you hear me?” John’s voice brought Sherlock back to the present “Charley?”

The woman stirred on the bed and slowly opened her eyes just as the second person Sherlock called came through the door.  Molly Hooper stood on the threshold taking in what was happening in Sherlock’s bedroom, not that she really had time to comprehend she was actually entering into Sherlock’s bedroom.

“Ah Molly, I need your help” John was saying now “Can you please get towels from the cupboard, lots of towels”

Mary looked at the woman again, Charley.  “Sherlock she really needs to go to the hospital. John can’t be expected to take the bullets out here” she said looking at her husband’s frowning face.

“He’s dealt with worse I’m sure” Sherlock just sat in the chair watching Charley, he didn’t acknowledge or look at anyone else in the room.  He was focused on her and as Mary saw now, Charley on him.

Charley looked at Sherlock, years of separation couldn’t disguise the fact that she needed him now more than ever.  He owed her, she thought, after what he did.  He owed her.

John was working hard to stop the bleeding.  “Charley I need to give you this morphine” John had been instructed when Sherlock rang to get drugs, lots of drugs.  He had promised John that they weren’t for him but a friend and it was a matter of urgency.  John, somehow believing his friend, had gone to his practise and picked up some morphine which he was now attempting to hook up to Charley.

“No” Charley said quietly.  It was the first word John and Mary had heard her say “No drugs” she repeated.

John leaned over her “Charley I think you should reconsider.  It is going to hurt like hell”

It happened so quick, Charley reached up and grabbed John by the collar and pulled his face to hers “I Said No Drugs” she said in a voice that rendered any further discussion invalid.

Molly had returned with the towels and set them down.  She watched Sherlock who watched the woman in the bed being operated on by John.  The whole time the woman, Charley, was looking at Sherlock too.  Anyone could see there was a connection there.  A long past connection but a strong one none the less.

Charley winced as her doctor and his assistants performed their surgery.  She knew that having no drugs was a stupid idea but she needed to keep her wits about her.  Despite the fact that she had come to Sherlock for help she still couldn’t trust him 100%.  There was too much distance between them, too much heartache and disappointment.

He looked good though, she thought.  He still had his dark curly hair.  She had kept an eye on him over the years of course.  She knew that he had tried to find her after, well after everything that had happened but she was too good at staying hidden.  Too good at hiding from him anyway.  She also knew that Mycroft had tried to keep tabs on her and it wouldn’t surprise her if he already knew she was here.  Charley winced again, this time the pain was almost too much.  She didn’t want to pass out again.  She didn’t know where she would be when she woke up if she did but the pain was just too much to handle.  She kept her eyes on Sherlock as they closed again.

                __________________________________________________________________

When she woke again Charley knew straight away that she was no longer at Sherlock’s place.  She also knew that she was handcuffed to the bed.

“Is this really necessary?” she asked the man in the suit standing at the end of the bed as she raised her right arm as high as the restrictive handcuffs would go.

He had been studying her chart and now looked up at her.  “Yes” was all he said.

He walked around the bed and sat on the side, tapping his ever present umbrella on the floor as they studying each other.

“You’re a hard woman to find”

“I didn’t know you were looking”

“Yes you did”

“Sorry, I meant to say I didn’t care that you were looking”

Mycroft smirked.  She had changed of course.  Gone was the sweet little girl who was his brother’s childhood companion.  Lying her in front of him was a woman who could change into anything or anyone.  He once heard that she had escaped from a Russian prison with just a paperclip and a bottle of vodka.  Oh yes, he thought.  She most certainly has changed. He was almost impressed.  Almost.

“You have caused us an infinite amount of trouble, Charlotte” Mycroft said now.

Charley moved slightly in the bed as if to try and get away from him “Really? Well sorry about that.  Wait, no I’m not” she said looking at him defiantly. “Where’s Sherlock?”

Mycroft ignored her question “Why now, Charlotte? Why after all this time have you come back to London?”

“I just felt like a bit of a holiday”

“Some holiday. You got shot… twice”

“Sometimes these things happen on holidays.  It’s a rough world out there”

“Who shot you?”

“Where’s Sherlock?”

“Who Shot You?”

“Where is Sherlock?”

Each of them knew this game could go on for hours. 

“Charlotte”

“Mycroft”

The door opened, startling both of them.  In rushed an older woman “Oh my dear Charley, what happened to you? Mike what are you doing?  Is she handcuffed? Take these off right now Mike! Oh Charley, Charley who did this to you? MIKE!”

Mrs Holmes was a force to be reckoned with.  Of course Sherlock called her, Mycroft thought.  She was the only person who could get Mycroft to do anything he didn’t want to do.

“It is Mycroft and it is for her own safety” he said to his mother now.

“Pish!” his mother said “They are for YOUR own safety, anyone knows that Charley could take you down a peg or two without breaking a sweat and that’s with her wounds”

Charley giggled.  She had missed this woman who had become a surrogate mother to her after her own mother had all but abandoned her. Mycroft looked at his mother and looked at Charley.  He rolled his eyes but unlocked the cuffs.

Charley rubbed her wrist “Thank you Mike” she said sarcastically as he started to walk out the door.  He stopped almost as if he was going to respond but thought against and left.

After visiting with Mrs Holmes for a good hour or so, Charley was tired.  She needed sleep.  Safe in the knowledge that Mycroft wouldn’t handcuff her again or move her to a secure location for interrogation – which had been negotiated by his mother – Charley fell asleep.

                ___________________________________________________________________

_“Charley do you believe in magic?”_

_Sherlock and Charley were sitting on a bay window seat at his house looking out the window.  It was snowing outside, they both loved the snow.  Inside the fire was roaring, Red Beard was lying in front of the fire on the rug, Sherlock’s dad was sitting in his chair reading the paper, his mother was in the kitchen baking and Mycroft was holed away in his room upstairs away from people._

_Charley drew a smiley face in the foggy window “No, not really.  Do you?”_

_“Sometimes I think there is magic” Sherlock said as he pulled his legs under him “but then sometimes I think there is an explanation for everything”_

_“Well Sherlocky, the universe is rarely lazy you know” Charley said turning to face him now.  Sherlock’s dad was listening to the conversation.  He was astounded sometimes at what these two would talk about sometimes.  They were only 10 years old but they were both such deep thinkers._

_“Do you think we will be friends forever?” Sherlock asked, holding his hand out to Charley now._

_Charley linked her pinkie with his, their own little secret handshake “Yes I do. I can’t imagine my life without you in it Sherlocky.  Besides, no one else will put up with you” she said poking out her tongue._

_________________________________________________________________________

Before she opened her eyes she knew he was sitting there watching her.  She wasn’t sure what she was going to say to him.  It had been a long time, 13 years, since they had seen each other.  What do you say to the person that meant everything to you one day and hated you so much the next? She pretended to be asleep, hoping he would leave.  But he stayed, just watching her.

After 30 minutes Sherlock spoke “I know you’re awake”

“I was hoping you would leave” she admitted

“I know”

She opened her eyes and looked at him.  He looked tired.  “I’m sorry I came to you, I had nowhere else to go” she said as she moved slightly into a sitting position, wincing with pain as she did.

“Yes you did” he said.  She smiled, he knew her so well.  Even after all this time, he still knew her.

“Maybe I didn’t want to go anywhere else” she said.

“Why now?” he asked, leaning forward slightly “Why did you come back now?”

“I don’t know.  To make amends”

“You’re lying”

“Am I?”

“Yes” he leant back now “Why now Charley?”

She knew what it cost him to say her name.  She had to tell him the truth but she knew he wouldn’t like it. She breathed in deep and looked directly at him.

“Moriarty”

Of all the things she could have said to him, Sherlock was not expecting that one.  He jumped as if he had been shocked.  A memory hit him like a sledge hammer.  He was transported back to that swimming pool, meeting Jim Moriarty for the first time.  “I will burn the HEART out of you” Moriarty had said to him.  Sherlock had replied that he had been reliably informed that he didn’t have one.  Moriarty had replied with a smug look on his face “But we both know that’s not quite true”. 

Did he know? How could he know? Mycroft didn’t know and he had never confided in John.  The only other person that had known was now lying in a hospital bed in front of him telling him that the reason she was back after all these years was because of his mortal enemy. 

“What did you say?”

“Sherlock please don’t hate me”

“You and Moriarty?” he asked now, looking at her in complete disgust

“Sherlock” she couldn’t say anything else. It wasn’t what he thought.

“You And Moriarty?” he repeated.

Right at that moment Mycroft came through the door.  He had obviously been listening in the other room. 

“I should have known!” he said looking between the two other people in the room.  “You and Moriarty have been working together”

Charley tried to speak but the two Holmes men were talking quickly to each other, trying to formulate a plan, trying to figure out what to do with her.

“WOULD YOU TWO SHUT THE HELL UP!?!?” both men stopped and looked towards the source of the outburst.  Charley was no longer lying in her hospital bed.  She was now standing next to it with tubes flying everywhere.  And she as mad!

“I am not working with Moriarty, nor have I ever worked with Moriarty and for the record nor will I ever work with Moriarty.  He tortured me you know, he must have really wanted the information because he did it himself.  Didn’t get one of his lackeys to do the dirty work, no he wanted the pleasure himself. Do you want to see the scars?”

Both Sherlock and Mycroft were looking at Charley as she slowly made her way around the room to stand directly in front of them both. She took off her hospital gown and stood in front of the men only wearing her underwear.  Not that either of them could acknowledge that, all they could see were the scars. On her torso, thighs and back.  She had a lot of scars.

Sherlock swallowed hard “Um, so… which… ones?”

Charley looked directly at him and pointed to one particularly horrible scar on her left side “That was where he stabbed me with a hot poker” she said in a small, quiet voice.  Sherlock looked in her eyes and he could see the pain she had been through, something she tried to hide from everyone else.  Charley quickly recovered herself and the look of pain was gone, in its place was a look of defiance.  She gathered her clothes and started to get dressed as quickly as the pain surging through her body would allow.

Mycroft spoke finally. Sherlock wondered when the last time his brother had seen a woman in that state of undress, if at all. “What information did he want?” he asked gruffly, his voice slightly giving away the emotion he was feeling.  After all, she had been like a sister to him once.

“Anything I could tell him about the Holmes boys” Charley said as she buttoned her jeans “I don’t know how he knew I knew you but he did and he wanted all information I had”

“And what exactly did you tell him?” Mycroft asked gingerly

Charley looked at him in disbelief “You would honestly think that after everything, after all we have been through together that I would tell him anything?”

Mycroft looked between Sherlock and Charley “Honestly, Charlotte.  I don’t know what to believe”

                ____________________________________________________________________

_Mycroft heard laughing.  They were always laughing, those two.  He couldn’t wait till he was out of there.  Only two more weeks and then he would be off to university, away from this house and these people.  He didn’t understand them. He knew they didn’t understand him either which made things worse._

_“Hey Mike you want to join us?” Sherlock’s friend Charley was over, again.  She practically lived here. He knew she had a home just over the hill but had never met or seen her parents.  He had heard his mother and father talk about her hard childhood but didn’t know the details.  Didn’t care really, after all she was just his 13 year old brother’s friend.  Nothing to do with him at all._

_“I don’t think so, Charlotte” he said now.  Charley giggled, she always did when he said her name.  He was the only one to call her by her full name.  Everyone else used her nickname._

_“Ok” she said “but we have popcorn” Sherlock had just taken a huge handful and was setting back into the sofa having just put the video into the video recorder.  “It’s a pretty cool movie, I think you’d like it”_

_“I don’t think so” Mycroft said haughtily_

_Charley wasn’t giving up so easily “It’s a spy movie” she said._

_Sherlock looked at her and rolled his eyes “It’s a James Bond movie, Charls.  It’s even better than a normal spy movie”_

_Mycroft was tempted.  He did like spy movies, he loved the intrigue and secrets. But it meant sitting down with his brother and her.  “I have to pack” he said walking away._

_“Your loss” Charley called after him.  He heard them laughing more, sure they were laughing about him but not sticking around to find out._

______________________________________________________________________

 

Charley looked around MI6 safe house she had been taken to. She had seen worse, she thought.  At least there was food and hot running water.  She needed a shower and something to eat more than anything.  Mycroft had reluctantly let Mary Watson gather some food for her.  MI6 wasn’t that grand on the details and had forgotten to stock the cupboards. Charley watched now as Mary put the milk and butter in the fridge.  She knew the other woman had questions but she also knew that the other woman had been through enough to know that Charley wasn’t going to answer.

“So you knew Sherlock as a child?” Mary asked now.  Thinking that was the safest conversation for now

“Mm Hmm” Charley confirmed “It was a long time ago now though”

“What was he like?” It was a fair question Charley thought.  They only knew Sherlock as he was now.  He wasn’t always so… so Sherlock!

“Um… he was a quiet kid” Charley began, not wanting to give away more than Sherlock would have been comfortable with “He read a lot, studied things. You know very analytical.  He loved joke shop toys.”

Mary looked at the other woman, she wanted to know so much more.  She knew that Charley wasn’t going to say anything about her later relationship with Sherlock but Mary sensed they were more than just friends. 

There was a knock at the door.  It was John and Sherlock.

“Is it safe you coming here?” Charley asked.  Everyone knew that it was Sherlock she was addressing

“I had to” he said as he entered the room “We need to talk”.  The way he said it left no doubt in Mary and John’s minds that they were not to be privy to the conversation and started to leave.  The door opened again and Mycroft walked in.

“No one is going anywhere” he announced with authority

“What’s happened?” Sherlock asked hastily

Mycroft looked at him down his nose, as he is want to do with everyone “Nothing, I just want some answers and I think if the Watsons are here then Charlotte is less likely to kill the both of us”

Everyone looked at Charley for either confirmation that there was truth behind what Mycroft had said or indignation that what he said was completely absurd.  They got nothing.  Charley merely just said “Can I have a shower and a sandwich before this interrogation?” Mycroft had nodded and Charley left the room.

After her shower and sandwich Charley sat on one of the chairs near the fireplace.  It had been a long time since a fire had been in there and it looked like it needed a big clean.  Safe houses weren’t really known for the creature comforts, Charley thought.  She sat facing John and Mary who were seated on the sofa, and Mycroft who was seated in chair on the other side of the fireplace.  Sherlock had chosen to stand.  He would need to, Charley thought, all the better for his pacing.  She smiled a little then.

                _________________________________________________________________

_“Oh my goodness Sherlock, stop pacing” Charley was sitting on his bed and had been watching the boy walk up and down his room for the past 30 minutes “You will wear a hole in the carpet!”_

_“They should be here by now” Sherlock said, not stopping “Why aren’t they here?”_

_Charley rolled her eyes “Stop worrying, they’ll be here soon.  And besides, I don’t know what you are worried about.  You will be fine!”_

_The doorbell rang, Sherlock raced out the door practically jumped down the steps, beating his mother to the door.  Charley had followed him with not quite as much speed.  She looked over at his mother, they both smiled and rolled their eyes.  Sherlock pulled the door open and snatched the envelope from the startled postman, went into the lounge and recommenced pacing._

_“Well are you going to open it?” Charley said, impatiently._

_Sherlock shook his head “What if I failed?”_

_Charley snorted “As bloody if!”_

_“Charley!” Mrs Holmes called from the kitchen.  “Sorry Mrs H!” Charley said smiling at Sherlock, his mother hated swearing and Charley swore a lot._

_“If you don’t open it then I will” Charley said, making her way to where Sherlock was standing._

_“Fine!” he exclaimed and ripped the envelope open.  He pulled out the paper inside and read the contents_

_“WELL?!?!” Charley exclaimed.  Sherlock looked at her and grinned “PASSED!!!  All Passes!”_

_They both jumped up and down with excitement._

_“Sherlock, of course you passed!” Charley exclaimed hugging her best friend “You are quite literally a genius” she said_

_Sherlock hugged her back.  They had been best friends now for 11 years, having met as six year olds when Charley had saved him from a particularly nasty bully at school. He remembered the bully had hit him and then out of nowhere this scrawny little girl had launched herself at the boy, hitting him repeatedly.  She had yelled at him, saying “Pick on someone your own bloody size you bloody coward”.  The teachers had to pull her off and she had been sent to the principal’s office but they had been best friends ever since.  Now they were nearly 18 and about to embark on the next journey of their lives, university._

_He knew things wouldn’t be the same after today so he held her tighter, not wanting the moment to end._

                _______________________________________________________________________

Mycroft looked at Charley, he needed answers.  What where Moriarty’s plans?  Where was he going to strike next?  How was he going to protect his brother?  He also looked at Sherlock, he knew what seeing Charley again was doing to him.  Oh he tried to be strong and unaffected but Mycroft knew, he knew that seeing Charley again could send his younger brother down a rabbit warren that he might not get out of. 

“So, Charlotte. What exactly are Moriarty’s plans?” He asked

“How would I know?”

“You’re in cahoots with him”

“Cahoots? Really Mycroft!”

“Charlotte I need answers.  What is Moriarty planning?” Mycroft was getting frustrated, but then again so was Charley.

“Mike, for the last bloody time I do not know what Moriarty is planning.  He was too bloody busy torturing me for us to sit down for a tête-à-tête” Charley saw Sherlock smirk out of the corner of her eye but he remained silent.  As did John and Mary.  It was Mycroft’s show, he was in charge.

Mycroft looked Charley “Why don’t I believe you?”

“Habit” Charley said sarcastically but they both knew there was truth behind the comment.

John cleared his throat “I really don’t think we are getting anywhere with this” He too was worried about Moriarty, having had a history with him himself. “Maybe we should all sleep on it and discuss things in the morning”

Mycroft reluctantly agreed “I had better get some answers tomorrow Charley, or Moriarty will be the least of your problems.” Charley didn’t even bother looking scared.

Later Charley lay in the bed, knowing that Sherlock was in the other room.  She could hear him pacing and muttering, trying to work something out that was plaguing his brain.  No one battered an eye lid when he said he was staying.  Mycroft had simply asked if he thought it was a good idea and Sherlock had just nodded.  She was getting frustrated, she wish he would just talk to her but she knew that she would have to instigate any conversation they would have.

She got out of bed and slowly walked to the door, not quite knowing what she was going to say or where this would end up.  She opened the door and Sherlock stopped pacing and turned to look at her.

“You’ll wear a hole in the carpet” she said with a small smile.  He didn’t respond. “Do you want something to eat?” she tried again. Nothing.  She stood at with the fridge door open and her back to him but she could still feel his eyes boring into her.  She was glad for the cool of the fridge because she knew she was going bright red.  She heard him turn away and sit on the sofa.  She closed the fridge and got a glass of water instead and moved to the lounge.

He looked up at her and opened his mouth as if to speak to her, but closed it again obviously thinking better of it.

“Are you ever going to speak to me?” she asked as she sat on the opposite side of the sofa.

He shrugged.

“Sherlock please say something, anything!”

“What do you want me to say?” the sound of his voice when it came actually started her

“I don’t know, anything.  Great weather we’re having”

The both looked outside and watched the rain streaming down the window.

“Why?” that was all he asked

“Why what?”

“Why did you leave me when I needed you the most?” he almost reluctantly asked the question, not really wanting to know the answer

“What are you talking about?” She knew what he was talking about but she also knew he didn’t really remember

“You know what I’m talking about” he said now

“Sherlock I didn’t have a choice”

“We all have choices, Charley and your choice was to leave”

“Sherlock there was more to it than that”

“No, really there wasn’t!”

They sat in silence for a long period of time. 

 

Finally Charley spoke “Well I guess we each believe what we want to believe Sherlock.  But it doesn’t change the truth of what actually happened” she got up, walked back to the bedroom and closed the door.

                ___________________________________________________________________

_Charley couldn’t believe it was nearly over.  Four years of uni nearly done.  She just had two more exams and then that was it!  It was over.  She had worked hard over the last four years to become the top of her class.  She knew it had cost her friendships along the way be she didn’t care.  She still had Sherlock._

_Sherlock, she thought as she rushed through campus.  Her best friend in the whole wide world and as of last semester, her lover.  It was inevitable really, she thought.  They did spend pretty much every waking hour they weren’t in class together.  Actually quite a miracle they had held out this long.  Of course no one knew, they had decided that they would wait till after university to tell his parents and Mycroft.  Not that he would care, he was too busy working his way up in the British Government, no one even knew what his job title was._

_Charley let herself into Sherlock’s room.  He had been lucky enough to have scored room to himself.  Well not so much lucky as in he couldn’t room with anyone, driving them all mad with honing his deduction skills.  It didn’t bother Charley though, she was use to him doing what he did.  Actually it’s one of the things she loved the most about him.  He wasn’t in the room, she knew he had an exam but would be back shortly.  She waited for him, lying on his bed reading one of his many books. She heard him approaching, she could always tell his footsteps._

_Sherlock burst through the door and saw her lying on his bed.  He grinned and practically flew across the room landing on the bed next to her.  Charley laughed, he had always loved to hear her laughed._

_“Well hello there Charlotte” he said now as he pulled her on top of him, kissing her as he did._

_Charley moved herself so she was comfortable and not putting all her weight on him, not that it matter because she was a light as a feather.  As she squirmed she could feel Sherlock getting excited, she grinned._

_“Hi” she said and planted a huge kiss on his lips.  “How many more exams do you have?” He had taken a lot of classes that year, he needed to keep his mind busy._

_Sherlock held her to him and kissed her neck “About 4” he murmured “but I am pretty sure I will fly through them”_

_“I have no doubt” Charley said as his hands moved under her t-shirt.  She shivered at his touch, it was a good shiver._

_They didn’t talk much after that, their mouths were otherwise occupied.  Charley thought, not for the first time, it was kind of weird to be lying under your best friend as he moved his way down your body, kissing every part of you.  If that wasn’t weird enough, for it to be Sherlock Holmes was mind blowing.  Not that she was really complaining.  This was their little secret, this was only their part of the world._

_After all, they had pinkie promised_

                _______________________________________________________________________

 

Charley woke the next morning and immediately knew that Sherlock had left sometime during the night.  She didn’t know if he didn’t want to confront the past or had simply filtered it away and forgotten what had actually happened.  She had a quick shower and dressed in the jumper and jeans Mary had picked up for her.  She walked into the next room and was greeted by John and Mycroft.

“Sherlock had a… um… thing” John tried to explain

Charley nodded “It’s ok. I am sure we will catch up later”

Mycroft walked over to where Charley stood “You need to tell us everything you know about Moriarty”

Charley spent the next 45 minutes telling Mycroft and John everything she could. Not that it was a lot.  She delved into his psyche as much as she could but she wasn’t a psychologist, she could only say what she saw and what she thought.

Mycroft stood “Thank you Charlotte, this has been most helpful” he seemed reluctant to even acknowledge her help “I think it would be best if you didn’t say goodbye to Sherlock, don’t you?”

He started to leave “Why do you hate me?” Charley asked.  Mycroft turned looking confused.

“I don’t hate you Charlotte” he said

“You don’t like me”

“I don’t know you”

“You use to”

John was watching this back and forth conversation with interest.  Mary had said to him that she thought Sherlock and Charley had had an affair and that maybe Mycroft was jealous. He didn’t quite know where this was going.

“I never hated you Charlotte but I didn’t like what happened to my brother because of you” Mycroft said now

“What are you talking about?” Charley was looking confused

Mycroft looked at her “The drugs Charlotte, the drugs”

John looked at Charley, she looked like she had been kicked in the stomach.  Her face had drained and she looked like she might actually faint.

“That was nothing to do with me” she said quietly

 “It had everything to do with you” Mycroft said, he turned and walked out the door.

John and Charley looked at each other, neither knowing what to say.  John cleared his throat “Do you want to talk about it?”

Charley looked at this kind hearted man and burst into tears.  She hadn’t cried for a long time, not since that night, but now she couldn’t stop.

“Well isn’t this adorable” they both looked up startled

“Oh my god” John said

The man in the doorframe smiled sinisterly “Not quite” he then looked at Charley who had pushed John behind her “You and I need to have a little chat my dear”

With that 3 men came through the door.  Two of them attacked Charley and restrained her.  The third knocked John out.  Moriarty smiled, he loved it when a plan came together.

                _________________________________________________________________

_Sherlock was late.  Charley checked her watch for the 4 th time.  He has told her he would meet her at 7.30 but it was now just past 8pm.  Where the hell was he?  It wasn’t like him to be tardy, she thought.  She would give him another 15 minutes and then she would leave.  She had her final exam tomorrow morning and didn’t want to have a late night.  Sherlock had wanted to celebrate something, he wouldn’t tell her but he said it was life changing. _

_The past week had been weird between them.  She couldn’t quite put her finger on it but something had changed within Sherlock. He seemed more intense than usual, talking at 1000 miles per hour, she could barely keep up.  8.15pm, she decided to give up and went to pay the bill.  She thought about just heading back to her dorm but she wanted to make sure Sherlock was ok.  She didn’t know why but felt that something was not quite right._

_Charley walked down the corridor of Sherlock’s dorm, there were a few people milling around but a lot of people had finished there exams and had already left.  She said hi to a couple of the guys lounging in the common room and continued to Sherlock’s room. She could hear violin music inside and smiled.  He had recently taken it up and of course excelled in it, as he did with pretty much everything he tried._

_The door was locked.  That’s weird, she thought as she pulled out her key to open the door.  She stepped inside and couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing.  The place was a mess, it looked like someone had turned the place over!  Books where everywhere, furniture had been upturned and in the middle of the room was Sherlock playing the violin._

_“Sherlock?” she said with trepidation.  He didn’t hear her or if he didn’t he didn’t acknowledge her._

_“Sherlock!” she tried again, a little louder.  He stopped playing and turned to face her.  Oh my god, she thought.  He’s completely high.  When the hell did this happen? How long had this been going on?  How could she not know?_

_All these questions she had said out loud, not noticing that with each one his face was getting darker and darker._

_“Sherlock, what the hell is going on?”_

_“None of your damn business, Charlotte” he said, spitting her name “Why don’t you just bugger off!”_

_“I’m not going anywhere” she said, standing in front of him_

_Sherlock looked at her with a smirk “Well, we all make mistakes”_

                ____________________________________________________________________

John came too and immediately called Sherlock “He’s taken her”

“Who’s taken whom?” Sherlock sounded distracted

“Moriarty has taken Charley” suddenly John was speaking to dead air.

Sherlock turned up at the safe house just after Mycroft and Mary had arrived.  He has brought with him Lestrade and Donovan from Scotland Yard.

“Tell me everything” Sherlock demanded of John

“Not much to tell, Moriarty turned up with 3 men.  They took Charley and knocked me out.  I’m fine by the way” Mary squeezed John’s hand.

“Well of course you’re fine” Sherlock said dismissively “You wouldn’t be talking if you weren’t.  Now what else can you tell me, any detail is valuable”

“Sherlock there is nothing more to tell, nothing that could tell us where they went anyway” John was saying.

Sherlock looked around the room trying to find something, anything that would give them away, anything that would tell him where Charley was.

Donovan was asking Lestrade why they were there; Mary was asking John if he was ok; Mycroft was on the phone trying to dictate a search but he didn’t have a location.

“SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP.  EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP!!” Sherlock exclaimed “I can’t concentrate with all your incessant nattering” The others all looked at each other, not really knowing what to do.  “John, again from the top”

“I don’t know what else to tell you”

“Did they have accents, what were they wearing, any tattoos”

“No, tailored suits, not that I could see”

“Did you look?”

“I was too busy trying to avoided getting hit in the head”

Mary, concerned for her husband spoke “Sherlock, this is getting us nowhere!”

Sherlock spun around, he had been gripping John by the shoulders but had now let go and faced his wife instead “What would you do Mary?  What would do you if they had taken John?”

Mary looked at Sherlock “I would knock down every door until I found him”

Sherlock nodded “And that is exactly what I intend to do”

In that moment, each person in the room understood what Sherlock was willing to do to get this woman back.  Even Donovan refrained from any sarcastic remark. John thought again about the men and remembered some things. Sherlock found some fibres that could be analysed to maybe locate the men and Charley. Mycroft rang MI6 for any local video footage.  They would find her, they needed to find her for Sherlock.

                ___________________________________________________________________

Charley woke and took in her surroundings.  She was in a warehouse somewhere, tied to a chair.

“Welcome back princess.  I thought we would have to do something drastic to wake you” the voice came from behind her but she knew exactly who it was

“What do you want Moriarty?”

“Please, call me Jim” he said as he came up beside her

Charley just looked at him with distaste “Oh please princess, don’t get all judgy with me.  We all know you aren’t the innocent little thing you want me to believe you are”

Moriarty came up to stand right in front of her, he drew a chair up and sat down “You know, I almost admire you.  The way you got away from me in Sarajevo.  It was almost inspired” he picked up a tool from the table beside them “Pity I have to hurt you though” he said as he sharpened the small knife “I actually like you Charley, I like your spunk” he spat out the last word.

Charley swallowed hard.  She had been badly injured with the shooting and wasn’t sure how much more pain she could survive. “What do you want?” she asked again.

Moriarty looked at her “What everyone wants my dear. The truth”

She was confused “The truth about what?”

“What happened that night?”

“What night?”

“You know what night, don’t play with me dear”

“You need to be more specific, there have been lots of nights” she said sarcastically

Moriarty looked at her, almost stabbing her right then.  No that wouldn’t do, he thought.  He wanted her to suffer. “The night my father died!” he spat out.

Charley looked at him, still not comprehending what this psycho was on about.  “I have no idea what you are talking about” she said

“Really? Well let me jog your memory” he said, as he slide the cold knife blade down her cheek “And remember, if I don’t like the answers I will very, very cross with you” he said almost singing the words.

“Let’s go back to when you were 15 shall we?” Moriarty started. Charley looked at him. Oh my god, she thought. “It was July and you were on school holidays, running around the neighbourhood with that Sherlock Holmes boy”

Charley actually started panicking.  No, she thought.  What did this mean? How could he have known what happened that July.

“I had been searching, you know” Moriarty continued “I knew my father had abandoned my mother when she was pregnant.  Not wanting the responsibility, but I after years of searching I finally found him.  And do you know what I found? Hmmmmm DO YOU?” Moriarty’s eyes were bulging “I found that he already had a family.  He had YOU!”

Charley swallowed. Oh god, she thought again.  She knew that she wasn’t going to get out of this alive. 

“I did think, you know, that perhaps he would welcome me into your little family. That I would become a part of something. But no, when I turned up at the door he laughed and turned me away.  Said he didn’t have a son.  Said he didn’t want more children, that he didn’t even like the one he had now” During all this Moriarty had been systematically sharpening each of the tools on the table.  Charley knew that he was going to aim to use all of them on her before the day was through.  She tried to breathe.  Tried to remain calm, but it was no good.  Her body was betraying her and she was starting to panic.

“I watched of course, I watched you all.  I saw when he hit you, I almost laughed when I heard the sound of his hand on your face.  I saw as you tried to cover up the bruises.  I watched as your mother pretended not to notice. I saw as you cried in your room at night not telling anyone, not even your precious Sherlock Holmes.  He knew of course, he saw the bruises when you didn’t think he did.  His parents knew too.  They wanted to take you away from there, not wanting you to suffer any more but they couldn’t do anything”

He was talking so fast that Charley could barely keep up.  As he was talking he was walking around and around her, perhaps trying to confuse or disorientated her.

“I saw the day you finally had enough.  The day you finally got the guts to stand up to him and I saw that he bet you so hard that day that you almost didn’t make it out alive.  You’ve figured it out haven’t you?” he asked now

Charley looked at him and nodded

“Tell me”

“It was you, you set the fire that day.  You killed my parents and nearly killed me” she said quietly, almost inaudibly

Moriarty laughed.  He laughed long and loud.

“Of course, princess.  You were meant to die that day too. How did you survive? You were meant to die to! I didn’t know you had survived until years later and I had to start my plan all over again” Moriarty sniggered

“What do you mean?” she asked already knowing the answer

“Drugs my dear girl, D.R.U.G.S!”

“It was you!” she exclaimed “You got Sherlock hooked”

“It didn’t take much you know, I was almost disappointed” Moriarty laughed evilly.

“I’m going to kill you!” Charley spat

“No you’re not” Moriarty sang “You won’t hurt me, we’re blood”

Charley used every ounce of her energy, looked Moriarty deep in the eye and said “You wanna bet?”

And then the world exploded.

                __________________________________________________________________

When Charley woke, she could see she was back in hospital.  Mycroft was sitting next to her reading the paper.  He looked up at her stirring.

“You knew” she said now looking at him “You knew he was my brother”

It wasn’t a question, it was a statement – a fact

“Yes, I knew” Mycroft said “I knew what he had done to your parents, I knew that he had supplied Sherlock with drugs fuelling his habit and I knew that it was all because of you.  And I know that you left Sherlock when he needed you the most.  You abandoned him like he was nothing”

Charley looked at him now “You know nothing Mycroft.  You never did!”

“Then tell me!” he said “Tell me what I am missing”

Charley swallowed hard and took a deep breath.  Maybe it was time to get it all out in the open.

“My father hit me, which I am sure you were already aware off.  Since I was 2 or 3, I can remember him hitting me. It wasn’t just a smack here or there, it was a full blown beating.  I don’t even know how many bones I broke in the first 5 years of my life.  The doctors knew of course but no one did anything back then.  It was a case of what happens behind closed doors stayed there”

She took a drink of water.  Mycroft was silent.  He was going to let her finish

“When we moved to near you I thought things would be different.  And they were, for a while.  I started a new school, met Sherlock and you and things were good.  Then one day the hitting started again.  This time it was different.  This time he didn’t hit me where people would see bruises, unless he was really mad for some reason. This time he would only hit me on the legs, arms and torso so that the bruises could be covered up.  I was planning to leave the minute I turned 16, going somewhere he couldn’t find me. But then the fire happened and well stopped everything. I suppose I should be grateful to Moriarty for that at least” She said bitterly.

Mycroft spoke now “I’m sorry Charlotte.  I had no idea.  Did Sherlock know?”

Charley nodded. 

“What happened that night Charley?” Mycroft leaned forward in his chair.  “What happened the night you walked out of my brother’s life?”

                __________________________________________________________________

_“Sherlock you need to calm down ok?” Charley tried to placate the man who she had known for the past 16 years, yet didn’t know now at all_

_Sherlock smiled sinisterly “I am calm, Charlotte.  Perfectly calm. Why don’t you come over here so I can show you how calm I am?”_

_Charley shook her head “I’m fine right here thanks” She needed to know what he had taken, she needed to get help.  When he was distracted by something, she managed to send a quick message to Mycroft, to tell him to come ASAP._

_Sherlock spun around “Charlotte, come here.”_

_“No”_

_“Come here!”_

_“No, Sherlock”_

_“COME HERE!” Sherlock made his way to her now, blocking her exit.  Charley was panicking, she didn’t know what to do.  She didn’t know if she would be strong enough against a high Sherlock._

_He was getting closer and there was nowhere for her to go.  He reached her and ran his hand through her hair, planting kisses on her face. She stood there terrified, she had never seen him like this before.  He could get crazy frustrated but this was different. This was intensified._

_“Charlotte, Charley, Charls” he murmured.  He kissed her then, soft at first and then harder.  He bit her lip._

_“Ouch! Sherlock, you’re hurting me” She said, hoping that he would stop.  But he didn’t.  He started getting rougher.  She started fighting against him.  He didn’t like that.  She pushed him and tried to get away.  He grabbed her hand and pulled her too him.  With a look of complete hatred on his face, he practically picked her up and through her against the wall._

_The impact stunned her for a few minutes and before she knew it, he was at her side for another go._

_“Just let me love you” he said.  Charley thought the best option of getting away was to kiss him, so she did.  He obviously thought she had come to her senses and kissed her back, hard.  He was leading her over to his bed, his hands all over her.  She picked up the lamp and brought it down hard on his head. Sherlock collapsed on his bed and at that very moment Mycroft chose to walk through the door._

                __________________________________________________________________

When Charley finished, Mycroft was silent. 

“I’m sorry Mycroft. I really am.  I promised myself that after my father I would let no person treat me the way he did.  When Sherlock did that, I just couldn’t stay.  As much as he needed me, I couldn’t.  I couldn’t trust that he wouldn’t do it again.” Charley had tears running down her face.  13 years of built up angst, sadness, guilt had just been released and she actually felt good, strangely enough.

Mycroft still hadn’t spoken “Are you going to tell Sherlock?” she asked

Mycroft looked at Charley and then at a point past Charley “He doesn’t have to” Sherlock had obviously come into the room at some point.  He stood near the door, his black trench coat almost forming a protective barrier around him.

“I am sorry Sherlock.  I know I should have stayed” Charley didn’t really know what else to say

Sherlock walked over to her bed “I can’t forgive you right now Charley, but I can understand why you did what you did. Besides” Sherlock said “We have bigger problems right now.  Moriarty is still out there and we need to stop him”

Charley smiled briefly, Sherlock could always compartmentalize things.  “Where do we begin?” she asked the Holmes boys

“Right here” Sherlock said, holding out his hand

Charley grinned and linked her pinkie with his.  It would take a while trust each other again but this time she wasn’t going anywhere.

 

The end


End file.
